


Second Chances

by DistracttheGoddess



Series: DWC Prompts [9]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Angst, Drabble, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-20
Updated: 2017-05-20
Packaged: 2018-11-02 17:21:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10949190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DistracttheGoddess/pseuds/DistracttheGoddess
Summary: "I want you back." for dadrunkwritingShe didn't want to be at the palace. She'd never wanted to set foot here again. Vhella had been planning to sent Oghren and  Nathaniel for the ceremony as her envoy, but Teagan found out. He reminded them, firmly, that the invitation was for the Warden-Commander.





	Second Chances

She didn't want to be at the palace. She'd never wanted to set foot here again. Vhella had been planning to sent Oghren and Nathaniel for the ceremony as her envoy, but Teagan found out. He reminded them, firmly, that the invitation was for the Warden-Commander.

So now, here she stood waiting for the royal procession to do the customary greetings and head in to start the banquet. This part of these asinine ceremonies always took way too long in Vhella's opinion. Why did they need to greet every damn dignitary individually anyway? Does anyone actually care? Ugh, probably. Were nobles so bored in their day to day lives that a quick word and a nod from the king excited them this much?

She'd hoped that the king would bypass her completely and she could escape before the nobles began the speeches, but of course she was the both the Hero Of Ferelden and the Warden-Commander and as such, it would have been unforgivably rude to be ignored in the eyes of the gathered crowd. Never mind what she actually wanted.

She could all but feel the nobility gathered holding their collective breaths as the royal entourage approached the Grey Wardens. She desperately wished that people were a little less enraptured with the romance that had ensconced the two young wardens all those years ago. And less aware of the uncomfortable way it had ended. Well they weren't going to get a show from her.

“Thank you for coming Commander.” The words were soft, but they spiked right through her heart anyway.

“An honor, your Majesty.” She couldn't quite bring herself to look at his face so her eyes locked onto the small bit of clavicle she could see under his armor. It was safer than looking into his eyes.

“Vhella,” he whispered, but Teagan moved him along before he could say something stupid.

She stared into the vacated space for a long moment before she subconsciously flicked her gaze to where he was being led off. It was a mistake. He had been looking back at her. Her gaze met his and amber eyes burned into her.

Her vision blurred and she blinked away the tears as she turned from him to face Nathaniel. She kicked herself mentally. It's been years since he'd broken her heart after the Landsmeet. She shouldn't be reacting like some soft-brained shem. The fact that he still had an effect like this irritated her.

She took a deep breath before she said anything. She was shamed to find that it was shaky. “We can go.” Nathaniel said quietly in her ear before she could even open her mouth.

“And let these dogs win? Never. We're here for the wardens. I'd never give these shems another reason to gossip about our order. Not if I can help it.” She bites down the urge to look back at Alistair again; she was both afraid that he'd be looking and afraid he wouldn't be.

With the royal party safely in the hall, the rest of the party flowed in. Vhella and Nathaniel waited as long as they could. They were among the last ones in. Alistair and Teagan were sitting at the head table deep in conversation. Teagan looked angry and Alistair looked annoyed.

She was unsurprised to find herself and Nathaniel seated toward the back. Old prejudices die hard and the Grey Wardens of the past made some long lasting impressions. With the two of them seated, their table seemed a mash of people they couldn't place elsewhere. Several large red-face men who were already well into their cups, a harsh looking elderly woman and a couple young women, potentially from some minor noble house.

Vhella lasted a full course before the conversation turned to the king. One of the drunk men made a crass remark about how Alistair needed to start testing out some of the nobility's daughters for his queen and this set off the two girls, first admonishing the man for his comment and then following it up with a loud conversation about how they could see each other as the queen and planning their fictional weddings, etc.

She was handling the conversation fine, but when they started talking about how they thought he'd look out of his kingly tunic, she decided to make an excuse and escape as fast as she could. Nathaniel gave her a sour look as she passed. She felt bad about abandoning him to these strangers, but not bad enough to stay around when said strangers were discussing whether or not her former lover knew how to do a proper Orlesian Pickler. She didn’t know what that was, but she was fairly certain Alistair had no idea how to do it.

Not paying as much attention as she should, she found herself in someone's study rather than the water closet she'd been searching for. This would do just fine for privacy however and she didn't want to risk running into anyone in the hall.

She leaned against the dark wood of the large door and took a deep breath before looking around. A large desk took up a lot of the floor space in the room. It was a very intimidating desk. Books lined the walls and a small bust of a man she assumed was King Maric stood on a pedestal in the corner. She ran her hand across a couple shelves, fingertips grazing the gold film that made up most of the titles.

Vhella was examining the statue when the door creaked open. An apology for her intrusion died on her tongue when she turned around and met familiar amber eyes.

He crossed the room with long strides and gathered her to him without a word. Lips crashed together and she was struck by how easily her heart fell back into old feelings.

Muscular arms, softer than she remembered, held her close to his chest. Her own arms snaked around his neck and she ran her fingers through his hair. His mouth opened and he moaned into her when she slid her tongue past his lips and ran it alongside his.

Intoxicating heat was building in her chest, swelling until it was almost unbearable. Lips soft against each other, she bit his lower lip, not hard enough to draw blood, but hard enough to make him whimper against her. His hands fell from her back to her ass and he pulled her tight against him.

For how familiar everything felt, they could easily be two stupid Grey Warden initiates camped outside of Redcliffe Village full of hope and love and an idiotic courage again. Here in camp, together, they could handle anything the blight, the alliances, or the darkspawn threw at them. She could almost hear the fire crackling and Furlock barking in the distance. If she opened her eyes right now, would they be surrounded by tents and wilderness?

They stood there for what must have been several minutes, but could have been hours for all Vhella knew. When they finally broke the kiss, they looked at each other with mouths centimeters apart.

“I want you back.” he said, hope bright in his eyes. And just like that she was snapped violently back into the present. He must have felt her stiffen against him because he gripped one hand firmer and lifted the other to cup her face. “I was an idiot. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. This time without you has been agony. I spend every night aching for you, every day missing you, every moment wanting you back. Stay with me. Please. I've never stopped loving you. I- I never will.” He paused, searching her eyes and took a shaky breath . “But I can't have you, can I? I see it written plainly on your face.” He let his hands fall to his sides, Vhella remained frozen in place.

“Alistair.” She faltered. “Alistair, I can't- I can't do that again. When you left me last time, I understood. It killed me, but I understood. Nothing has changed. Nothing. You're still king, I'm still a Grey Warden.” Tears fell unbidden down her cheeks and her voice hitched. “I cannot bear you a child. And you have a duty to Ferelden and I have a duty to the Grey Wardens. I cannot be your queen and nor can I sit idly by in your palace while the wardens need to rebuild. You need to look to the future Alistair and I am the past.”

Without another word she walked out, every nerve in her body begging her to turn around, launch herself into his arms and say fuck the world. But she didn't.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to leave comments, or hit me up on tumblr: @distractthegoddess I love to hear from you guys!


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